>>23001057Here's the thing about Johto; it was the first sequel. They hadn't established a pattern yet. I always view Gold and Silver not so much as a brand new game like Ruby and Sapphire or Black and White, but more like an expansion pack to Red and Blue. It has the same content, but more.
And that's why I don't think it's weird that you're still catching Rattata and Pidgey. They're still your low-level Pokemon because it's essentially the same game, with added content.
And it's hardly surprising that the Johto Pokemon are rare - why wouldn't they be? You've already caught them all in Red and Blue, you're not going to spend ages hunting for Pokemon you've already caught. You'll be actively trying to seek out the exciting new Pokemon to finish off your collection. They ought to be hidden, there ought to be some right at the end of the game, like Misdreavus and Larvitar, otherwise, why would you bother playing it all through?
I think it makes more sense if you look at it through this lens. It's actually kind of cool. Some people might prefer the model of brand new games, and that's fine, but I'd personally be pretty curious to see games being more like expansions to older ones in the style of GSC.